I do an open format radio show on Radio Regent online out of Regent Park in Toronto every Friday from 5 p.m. til 7,called CORBY's ORBIT playing everymusic, so far no Death Metal or light opera but who knows?http://www.radioregent.com/
Illustration by John Kricfalusi

Corby's Orbit

Listening in All the High Places illustration by John Kricfalusi

Sunday, April 30, 2017

Alex Cuba, supporting his new disk Lo Unico Constante, dropped up to the Orbit on 7 April, the night before his big show at Koerner Hall, to perform El Mismo Dolor live with percussionist Jose. Compliments to Anthony Hakim, the Kool Breeze, for intimate camera work and tea service.﻿

Sunday, April 23, 2017

Wild Things takes over my heart every time I hear it: "Gather all the rebels now, we'll rebel-rouse and sing aloud."

I can't tell you how my spine tingles and my chin tightens up proud when I hear this Giant Canadian Song of today, and I think of just yesterday, Joni searching the cellar in the Boho Zone and Leonard doing the telephone dance at the System Theatre and Burton onstage with a burning American flag and poor sick Joel Plaskett with the visions coming quicker, Deryck refusing to be another casualty of society, Brigette dePape...all our rebels, abjuring the empty chairs and policies that

Alessia Cara can so clearly see and just walk around, outside the trap, spiteless and safe in her undiminished sense of self-possession. With great sound. Fine all by herself.

With her friends and fun intact. Bringing an international generation together, even in the comments jungle. What an invasion of healthy perspective, unique beats and a truly livid flood of blood-vivid phrasing and - and - and. *Find your grace.*

Friday, April 21, 2017

My Orbit this Friday overflows with the prowess of passionate song purveyors. I'll be joined for chat and chanteuseries at 5:30 by the talented Avery Raquel, who has just released her heralded sophomore disk, Without A Little Rain and will be touring it over the next few months.And at 6:00 fascinating provocateuse, Lily Frost who has a no-souls-barred burlesque-and-bourbon soiree coming up next Thursday at the Lula Lounge to debut her new video / single REBOUND BITCH, will be in the studio to sing and chill. @ Radio Regent Toronto.

Monday, April 17, 2017

The story of Barrett`s Privateers and their fictitious ship with the ironic moniker, The Antelope, has borne innumerable keggers and bellow-fests around the world into the raptures of song with its dual refrain and lengthy narrative. Our national personality is expertly expressed through Stan Rogers` rollicking melody and delicious phrasing. The attention to detail and aloof sarcasm of the stoic narrator qualify him as an iconic Canadian Ishmael, a character fitted to the literary tradition of Robert Service or Yann Martel. The explicitly populist and pacifist nobility of his spirit is wagered and sacrificed against the promise / curse of American gold. Drawing from recent news, The Antelope might be a telling metaphor for our current ship of state.

Friday, April 14, 2017

While I was reading Samuel R. Delany’s Dhalgren (“an Everest among books”), part of the thrill was the chorus of an unseen space troubadour named, oddly enough, Bruce Cockburn. Then, decades later, he reappears in a redemptive novel, The Shack by William P. Young, as the favourite songwriter of a character named God. The pastoral poetry and guitar expertise of his early work was eclipsed by outspoken lyrical responses to politics, ecology and spirituality which were a life-line to Can-Consciousness throughout the seventies and eighties. Outspoken anthems such as It's Going Down Slow and If I Had A Rocket Launcher brought him honour, notoriety and governmental scrutiny.His later work has not yielded any hits, but this song, Mystery, from 2006's Life Short Call Now has a determined maturity of vision and mood that magnifies the complex imagery. Ron Sexsmith, Hawksley Workman and Damhnait Doyle contribute mighty passions to the harmony,

and a 27-piece string session ascends to lift the song into grace at the end.

Wednesday, April 12, 2017

The great Canadian artist Alex Cuba and Percussionist Jose (right) graced the Orbit with a live performance of El Mismo Dolor from his new Grammy - bound (trust me) disk Lo Unico Constante. He brought it live to Radio Regent the night before it went large onstage at a sold-out Koerner Hall performance. His proud Dad, Valentin (left), can be seen swaying in the radio room. Compliments to Anthony Hakim, the Kool Breeze, for intimate camera work and tea service.﻿

Friday, April 7, 2017

Today's show will be brimming with live musical guests and conversation with the true innovators of today' s evolving Canadian Music.

Tragedy Ann (above) has a kitchen-full of party to bring forward live to the Orbit at 5:30.

At 6:00, talented Grammy familiar, Alex Cuba, and long-time wizard of all the characters of music, Cuban and otherwise, will be playing and talking about the debut of his new album Lo Unico Constante. He will be playing it large at Koerner Hall on Saturday.

Tabla master Ravi Naimpally is giving a call in to remind us that his world chamber aggregation, So Long Seven is extending an invitation to the trance Saturday evening.

And at 6:40, Tony Nguyen of pre-eminent Canadian taiko group Nagata Shachu will talk about their showcase in the vibrant downtown community of Regent Park. ‘Toronto Taiko Tales – Global Beats from Around the City’ is a set of four concerts launching their new DVD/CD